Advocating Ultrasound Accreditation And Credentialing
HEIDI R. ADAMS JOINS
THE STAFFS OF ICAVL, AIUM and ARDMS
from the October 2005 issue
To
develop and implement strategies advocating both ultrasound
accreditation and credentialing as means of enhancing the quality
of diagnostic ultrasound services, the ICAVL, along with the
American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) and the
American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS),
work through collaborative efforts. To further strengthen these
efforts, the joint position of Director of External Affairs
was created in August 2005 to oversee the development of relationships
with related organizations, medical colleges and specialty societies,
and public and private payers.
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Heidi
R. Adams joins the ICAVL, AIUM and ARDMS staffs as the
new Director of External Affairs. Ms. Adams will be responsible
for monitoring and analyzing local and national Medicare,
Medicaid and private-payer policies and their impact on
the quality and availability of diagnostic ultrasound services.
In addition, she will assist in the development and maintenance
of a consensus-based strategic plan to implement adoption
of ultrasound accreditation and certification. Ms. Adams
will be instrumental in the development of reports, briefing
materials, position papers, educational services and products/tools
related to promoting the message of quality ultrasound procedures
being linked to accreditation and sonographer certification.
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When
reflecting on her new role within the three organizations, Ms.
Adams remarked, "The accreditation and certification efforts
of AIUM, ARDMS and ICAVL are becoming more prominent as the
healthcare industry becomes aware and conscious of effective
performance measurement and standardization. It will be critical
and essential to the future of proper diagnoses that the public,
the government, and private organizations are educated about
the positive effects accreditation and certification have on
outcomes."
| Ms.
Adams brings vast expertise in health care administration
to her new role. Her past experience includes employment
with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
during which time she was responsible for overseeing the
Deeming Program and the Targeted Appeals Monitoring System,
each related to monitoring quality of services delivered
by managed care organizations that serve Medicare beneficiaries.
Specifically through this experience, Ms. Adams gained knowledge
in issues related to Medicare contractors, health plan trade
associations, and private accreditation organizations. Immediately
prior to joining the ICAVL, AIUM and the ARDMS, Ms. Adams
served as a Senior Policy Manager for the Governor's Office,
Office of Health Care Reform in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
These professional experiences, along with holding a Master
of Arts in Legal and Ethical Studies from the University
of Baltimore and a Master of Health Services Administration
from George Washington University make Ms. Adams ideally
qualified for this new position. |
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Along
with the other organizations, the ICAVL is very pleased with
the addition of this position. The ICAVL looks forward to the
many benefits and new opportunities that the collaborative efforts
in advocacy for ultrasound and credentialing will bring, both
to ICAVL accredited laboratories and patients undergoing noninvasive
vascular testing procedures.
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